Underground
by ski-bunny90
Summary: What happens when Sara comes to work sick because Sara would never miss a day of work? A bit of drama which only leads to the romance. Snickers. R and R
1. Chapter 1

Diclaimer: I don't own CSI and all related articles but insert joke here

A/N: Okay so there is fluff in here, you just have to wait a couple of chapters :)

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**CHAPTER 1**

The assignment of the day (or should I say night) was a DB in the lake of an old mansion on the outskirts of the city.

"Whoa, nice place!" Sara commented upon arrival. She was in the back seat of Nick's Denali, Nick driving and Grissom in the passenger seat.

"That's the kind of thing you get for 20 million." Nick joked but stopped smiling at Grissom's unamused face. At least he brought a smile to Sara's face the noted by a look at the rear vision mirror. He knew Sara wasn't well, you could tell just by looking at her; her face pale and eyes shrunken. He just couldn't understand why she put herself through this but he had other thing he was supposed to be focusing on at the moment.

"They're still pulling the DB out of the lake so no identification so far…" Brass filled them in as they grabbed their gear and headed for the lake at the back of the property. Sara felt her mind slipping but couldn't understand her lack of concentration. Instead of recognizing she was too sick to be working – like Nick had already told her - she just became more frustrated with herself – and Nick for that matter. She couldn't understand why he had to butt into her life. She could work when she felt like it but when he found out she was sick before shift, he tried to lecture her. The nerve of him! At least she got a good look at him half naked as a constellation.

"… the body was found by the gardener, I'm just going to interview him now." Nick volunteered himself to join Brass in getting the gardener's statement which left Sara and Grissom to process the surrounding area.

Grissom always failed to put two and two together when it came to people but if he had, he would have realized why Sara was so not energetic that night. Instead he decided to try and give her a pick-me-up.

"Sara, come check this out!" he called to her. Now since Grissom wasn't experienced in dealing with people, his idea for a pick-me-up would be as good as his relationship advice.

"I've been told by the guy who cleared it that this hidden ladder leads to some kind of underground room. I thought that you'd love to work your own crime scene so here it is."

"But…" Sara retorted

"But nothing. Just go down and have some forensic fun!"

Sara grumbled, she had no choice but to go down the ladder. Suited up, she began to climb down. The physical activity was a stress on her malnutritioned body but she refused to show any signs on weakness. She was Sara Sidle after all; capable of enduring anything except the smell of liquid human. She just focused on going from one rung to the next. Towards the bottom of the ladder though she started to become quite dizzy then suddenly her hand slipped and everything when black.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I don't CSI blah di blah di blah

A/N: Thanks to all who reviewed, you pushed me to write the next chapter sooner (hint, hint , nudge, nudge). And yes bauerfreak, i agree that Nick needs to take his shirt off. I'll see if I can slip it in somewhere. Sorry about the short chapter but I swear I'll make it up in the next one!

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CHAPTER 2**

Hours earlier (Nick's POV)

Before shift I was in the locker rooms changing when he heard this belch like a vomiting sound come from the showers. Hoping to find the source of the noise as well as be of comfort, I yell out "Are you okay"

Sara replies "Yeah" in a disgruntled tone giving me a face to the unidentified vomiting. She went on to say "I just had some bad pasta last night."

"Pasta, you've got to be kidding me" I reply. Who ever heard of food poisoning from pasta? I ask myself.

"Sorry, but no" she says, emerging from the showers, fully clothed I might add to my disappointment but looking good with her hair dripping and limp and condensation dripping down the small areas that are her bare skin.

I stop those thoughts quickly. How my mind even got there is a mystery to me. So I set myself back on task, although I believe I saw a small smile dance on Sara's lips before I focused my attention but I'm not sure whether it's because she noticed me staring at her or (I'd just realized this) because I wasn't wearing a shirt.

"Sara," I said in what I hope wasn't a criticizing voice, "you can't work when you have food poisoning, it's not sanitary!"

"Don't worry Nick; I haven't eaten in 12 hours so that should be the last of it."

I just stared at her dumfound. For such a smart CSI, she could be so stupid at times.

I started to retort, saying "The health complications for not eating in 12 hours…" but she just walked right by me and at the door she said "Chill Nick, you worry too much!" and left.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I don't own anything that the CSI people own (go figure)

A/N: Okay so no real fluff in this one, it's more of a filler chapter. Thanks to all those who reviewed, they make my day!

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CHAPTER 3

Back to the present

Grissom called out to Sara but no response came. Having finished interviewing and sensing something was wrong, Nick came over and asked "What's going on?"

"I noticed that Sara wasn't to energetic tonight so I sent her down there to give her, her own crime scene but as she went down I heard this 'BANG, CRASH!' -" Very scientific words Grissom, Nick thought to himself and he would have found it funny if it wasn't for the seriousness of the conversation. "- and now I'm not getting any response from her."

"Grissom you dick, Sara hasn't eaten in twelve hours! She probably fainted. Give me a walkie-talkie, I'm going down there."

Okay, so Nick didn't say 'you dick' but he would have if the guy wasn't his boss. Grissom was another example tonight of a smart CSI gone stupid.

Climbing down the ladder Nick wondered if he was the only sane person around tonight. His thoughts were cut short by the sight of Sara lying limply on the ground below him. Climbing the rest of the way as fast as he could, he ran over and checked Sara pulse. Nick breathed a sigh of relief, she was alright. He laid a small kiss on her forehead then assessed his surroundings. He found himself in a narrow corridor, the floor padded and covered in red satin and the walls and roof were covered in mirrors. The corridor led to a large cubic room with the same padded floor and now the bottom third of the walls were padded and the rest mirrors.

It was lucky Sara had landed on the padded floor in the corridor which probably had some part in her survival of her fall. Nick walkie-talkied Grissom.

"Sara's unconscious but looks alright. She might have a concussion though." He said matter-of-factly as he knelt beside Sara.

"Is there enough space for a paramedic to get in there?" Grissom questioned because he too was worried about her health…now.

"Yes, if I move her into the room." Nick's response confused Grissom.

"What?"

"We're in a narrow corridor at the moment that leads to an underground room. I'll move her there."

"Okay Nick, helps on its way!" Grissom replied and putt away his walkie-talkie to call 911.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I don't own CSI, nothing even remotely close.

A/N: Okay guys i was really sad coz even though the last chapter wasn' exactally a cliffhanger, i only got 3 reviews and i had way more hits so if you could, PLEASE review. They make my day and thanks to those who did review, you're great! (BTW the fluff is coming, next chapter most likely)

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CHAPTER 4**

"Sara, Sara, are you alright? Can you hear me?" Sara had begun to stir, silently telling Nick that she was waking but she did nothing else.

Sara felt groggy still on the brink of consciousness; her eyes and tongue like lead, so heavy she was unable to move them even though she wanted to, her head killed and her vocal box failed to produce even a whimper.

"Sara, squeeze my hand if you can hear me." And even though she hadn't realized it before, Nick was clutching her hands so gently but very reassuring. She was able to squeeze Nick's hand, realizing for the first time how many muscles she actually had in her hands.

Sara finally lifted her eyelids to see Nick's face hovering above hers. She thought she might be still in a dream, having seen Nick's face many times before in her dreams but when he didn't bend down and plant his lips upon hers, she knew that (sadly) she was back to reality.

"Thank goodness Sara, you're alright. I've been so worried. If you hadn't woken up in another 2 hours…" Nick let his voice trail off and hugged her. He had been sitting with Sara for nearly 4 hours. In that time the Paramedics had come and left; bandaging Sara's head and giving Nick food and painkillers for when she woke up and the team had also been down; leaving for food half and hour ago.

"What happened?" Sara asked. It was the only question in her mind at the moment. She tried to sit up but put a hand gently on her chest and pushed her back down.

"You fainted because you hadn't eaten a thing for over 12 hours and now you have a concussion so unless you want to embrace some major pain, I suggest you stay put." Sara's head was already in major pain so she did as she was told.

"Why didn't you take me to the hospital?" Sara asked, a million questions now coming to her head.

"We had the paramedics come down and they agreed that it would be too risky trying to drag you up the ladder so we decided to wait till you awoke and were strong enough to climb up on your own, which reminds me…" Nick trailed off once again and grabbed for something behind him. Whilst Nick turned away, Sara imagined Nick, shirt off, muscles pumping, carrying her up the ladder - her head on his chest, and what a fine chest that was. Sara blushed as Nick turned back towards her, glad that he couldn't read minds or she would have a lot of explaining to do.

"The paramedics gave me some food and liquid to feed you and some pain killers so when you're ready, it's time to embrace some major pain"

As Nick was helping feed Sara, ground started to grumble, then shake and somehow Las Vegas was having an earthquake.

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A/N: Okay so i didn't mean for that last sentence to rhyme but it just did.

A/N: Also I have never fainted before so what i've said may be way off base. I mean the only thing i kinda know about is the usual colds and eczma and that really wouldn't have made a great fic. Think about it, "I have an itch, will you scratch it for me?" she said seductively. There are so many things wrong with that sentence!


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